{"id":5331,"date":"2003-06-25T00:51:10","date_gmt":"2003-06-25T04:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5331"},"modified":"2025-09-09T14:31:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T18:31:25","slug":"learning-a-lesson-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5331","title":{"rendered":"Learning a Lesson (by Rona)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>Set five months after \u2018Alone<\/a>\u2019, Joe quarrels with his family, then falls foul of some outlaws. It isn\u2019t necessary to have read \u2018Alone\u2019 before reading this one.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 T \u00a0 \u00a0 (9,930 words)<\/p>\n

Alone Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alone<\/a>
\nLearning Lesson<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclaimer:\u00a0All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Learning a Lesson<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Roy,\u201d Ben said. \u201cWe\u2019ll do everything we can to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate that, Ben,\u201d Roy Coffee, sheriff of Virginia City replied, as he headed towards the door. \u201cI\u2019ll see ya in the mornin\u2019 then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Accompanying Roy to his horse, Ben looked round when he heard a horse approaching. He knew from the speed that it was Joe, and he wasn\u2019t disappointed. His youngest son came into the yard at a lope, and for a moment, Ben\u2019s heart was in his mouth as he remembered an occasion when Joe had had a nasty fall doing just this. However, there was no repeat of the accident today, and Joe drew rein and hopped down off his horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Roy!\u201d he greeted the lawman cheerfully. Roy was an old friend of the family. \u201cHi, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Little Joe,\u201d Roy replied, and Joe tried to hide a wince at his nickname, which he had mostly grown out of. \u201cGlad to see ya lookin\u2019 better, son. How\u2019re ya feelin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine, thanks,\u201d Joe responded, although this wasn\u2019t always the truth. Joe had broken his leg earlier in the year, and was still inclined to limp when he was tired. The break had been serious, and for a time, they had feared he would lose his leg. Luckily, that fear hadn\u2019t come to fruition but Joe had been on crutches for months. Now, at the start of the winter, he was back doing a full day\u2019s work, although he still found that he lacked his customary stamina.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee ya tomorrow,\u201d Roy said, as he mounted his horse and rode off. Ben and Joe stood for a moment watching him leave.\u00a0 Then Ben shivered.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that you finished for the day?\u201d he asked Joe. \u201cThen go and put your horse up, because it\u2019s getting really cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing,\u201d Joe agreed, and walked carefully over to the barn, trying desperately hard to hide his limp while he knew Ben was watching. Joe knew that his limp would go eventually, according to the doctor, but it seemed to him that \u2018eventually\u2019 was going to be forever at this rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cTired?\u201d Ben asked, as Joe came in a little while later.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe admitted, too dispirited to lie. He went to toast his hands by the fire. \u201cIt\u2019s sure gettin\u2019 colder quick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d noticed,\u201d Ben replied wryly. \u201cWe might be in for some snow if it keeps as cold as this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Joe replied, as cheerfully as he could, \u201cit\u2019s the end of November. We\u2019re about due for some cold weather.\u201d He reached for the cup of coffee his father offered him. \u201cThanks, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door opened to admit Joe\u2019s two older brothers, Adam and Hoss. \u201cTarnation, its cold!\u201d Hoss exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, shut the door and don\u2019t let the heat out,\u201d Ben retorted, as Adam did just that. He watched as his sons shed their outer layers and made straight for the fire, as Joe had. He poured them each coffee to help them thaw out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy was Roy here, Pa?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cAnd why\u2019s he coming back tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to talk to you boys about that,\u201d Ben announced. His tone was serious. \u201cEvery day for the last week, the stage has been held up, either just before it gets into town, or just after it leaves. Roy\u2019s looking for men for a couple of posses, to see if they can catch the outlaws.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo problem,\u201d Adam responded.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe, too,\u201d Hoss agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m up for it,\u201d Joe chimed in.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot you, Joseph,\u201d Ben stated, flatly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Joe demanded, on his feet, his eyes blazing from his white face.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you\u2019re not up to it, son,\u201d Ben told him, gently. \u201cYou\u2019re not fit enough to ride out all day in this cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so!\u201d Joe denied, hotly. \u201cI\u2019m fine!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not fine, Joe, and stop shouting at me. My hearing is quite good!\u201d Ben glared at his youngest, but Joe was too upset to take notice of the warning signs. \u201cYou admitted to me tonight that you\u2019re tired, and I saw you limping going into the barn. Now, this is my last word on the matter. You\u2019re not going!\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately, rage choked Joe and he was unable to say any of the hurtful things that sprang into his mind. Turning on his heel, he dashed headlong upstairs, knowing he was behaving like a child, but too tired to care. From behind him, he heard Ben shout, \u201cJoe!\u201d but he ignored him. Limping into his room, Joe threw himself on his bed, pounding at his pillow as he took out his rage at his body\u2019s weakness.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

It was late in the evening before there was a tentative knock on Joe\u2019s door. Lying flat on his bed, arms behind his head, gazing fixedly at the roof, Joe grunted, \u201cCome in.\u201d He knew it was Ben without even turning his eyes in that direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t eaten, son,\u201d Ben said, softly, knowing that Joe was hurting, and wishing there was something he could do to help. \u201cI brought you some supper.\u201d He put the tray down on Joe\u2019s desk and turned to look at his son. Joe hadn\u2019t moved. \u201cJoe!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Joe responded, coldly. He still hadn\u2019t moved.<\/p>\n

Despite his best intentions not to lose his temper with Joe, Ben wouldn\u2019t tolerate rudeness. \u201cThat\u2019s quite enough!\u201d he snapped. \u201cYou are behaving like a child, and if you continue in this manner, I shall be forced to treat you like a child and turn you over my knee!\u201d<\/p>\n

For a frozen instant, there was silence, then Joe sat up, but there was as much insolence in the movement as there had been in his stillness a few moments before. \u201cAnd then you\u2019ll lock me in my room and cut my allowance?\u201d he taunted, and saw at once that he\u2019d gone too far. \u201cPa, I\u2019m sorry, I didn\u2019t mean that,\u201d Joe apologized, knowing that he was too late.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve made allowances for you over the past five months, Joseph,\u201d Ben said, tightly. \u201cI know that you are finding it frustrating that your leg is taking a long time to heal properly, but there was no cause for you to say that to me! How dare you be so rude!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Joe muttered, wretchedly. \u201cReally I am!\u201d He turned his face to his father, and Ben saw that his eyes were brimming with unshed tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cApologies come very easily to you,\u201d Ben noted. \u201cPerhaps you should start thinking before you speak, and you wouldn\u2019t have to make so many of them. Now, eat your supper before its cold. I\u2019ll see you tomorrow.\u201d He went out of the room, trying not to slam the door behind him. He failed. He couldn\u2019t remember the last time he\u2019d been so angry with Joe and he\u2019d had to leave the room before he said something he\u2019d regret. A tight smile passed his lips. Perhaps it wasn\u2019t just Marie that Joe got his temper from!<\/p>\n

\u201cAny joy?\u201d Adam asked, as Ben came downstairs, regretting the question as soon as it passed his lips. It was obvious that Ben was still angry.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Ben replied, shortly and went over to his desk to bury himself in the books. Adam and Hoss exchanged looks, and it wasn\u2019t long before the atmosphere in the room drove them both to go to bed early.<\/p>\n

Upstairs, Adam lingered outside Joe\u2019s room for a moment, but there was silence from within, and he didn\u2019t knock. There was no point in him going in and stirring things up again. Joe would have cooled off by morning.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

By morning, Joe was thoroughly ashamed of himself. He had barely slept that night, and when he had, his dreams had replayed that last encounter with his father. Joe had managed to choke down some of his supper, and as he rose in the dark, he knew he would have to get rid of the tray, and the evidence that he hadn\u2019t eaten. Since his accident, Ben had been riding Joe for not eating enough. Joe knew that his appetite had suffered, but he hated to be watched, and the more Ben measured his every mouthful, the less Joe had managed to eat. It was a vicious circle.<\/p>\n

Going silently downstairs, Joe discovered that he was even up before Hop Sing. As quietly as he could, he made himself some coffee and got some food. He shrugged on his green jacket before donning his sheepskin coat and let himself out of the house.<\/p>\n

Crossing to the barn, Joe was distressed to discover that he was still limping, and put it down to not having slept. He had no intention of going far; just to his mother\u2019s grave, a place where he usually found peace. He knew he had to get away from the house for a while to get his head in order.<\/p>\n

The ride through the crisp, frosty air did much to calm Joe\u2019s turbulent sprit. He knew that he had to apologizes properly to Ben, and make more of an effort to be cheerful, despite the frustration he felt at the lingering weakness in his leg. But it was hard, and the thought of making more of an effort was exhausting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how, but I\u2019ll do it, Cooch,\u201d he said aloud, and the black and white ears in front of him twitched. He rode on, watching as the dawn finally broke in spectacular colors. The very sight soothed his soul and when he arrived at the grave, he already felt calmer. He dismounted and went to sit by the grave. \u201cHi, mama,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cHis horse is gone,\u201d Adam reported, his voice tight with anger. \u201cDo you want me to go looking for him, Pa?\u201d His tone suggested that he had more than just looking in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, leave him,\u201d Ben replied, exasperated. \u201cRoy will be waiting for you two. On you go; Joe will come home when he\u2019s ready.\u201d He had discovered Joe\u2019s absence at once, and had been alarmed when he realized that Joe had taken some food with him. However, the alarm had died away when they realized he had only taken enough for sandwiches. Ben had a fairly shrewd idea where his youngest son was, and had Adam stopped to think, he would have known where Joe had gone, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019 mean ta rile ya, Pa,\u201d Hoss commented as he left. \u201cHe\u2019s hurtin\u2019 right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Ben responded. \u201cBut thanks for reminding me.\u201d He found a smile for his two oldest sons as they rode off to join the posse. He hoped they would be all right. He cast a glance at the sky. It was filled with heavy grey clouds, and Ben knew there would be icy rain or sleet before the day was out. He hoped Joe would calm down enough to come home before the weather turned bad.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

Exhaustion had caught up with Joe as the morning went on and he awoke, disoriented, about noon. He cursed himself for he hadn\u2019t meant to stay away as long as that. He scrambled stiffly to his feet and went to catch his horse.<\/p>\n

Riding slowly home, Joe wondered how Adam and Hoss were getting on with the posses. He had to admit that he wasn\u2019t up to riding all day, and as the first cold drops of rain began to fall, he was suddenly glad that Ben had forbidden him to go. It was just a pity that he had managed to lose his temper in such a spectacular fashion.<\/p>\n

Hurrying Cochise, Joe had his head down, not looking too carefully where he was going. He trotted out of a stand of trees, and all but collided with a band of horsemen on the other side of them. Joe pulled his mount to a stop, and found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. Slowly, Joe raised his head. The man holding the gun looked familiar.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, well, if it isn\u2019t Joe Cartwright!\u201d the man exclaimed.<\/p>\n

It was his voice that provided the clue for Joe. The English accent was a dead give-away. This was the notorious outlaw Lord Robert Collins. He was wanted in about five states for murder and robbery and he had been at school with Hoss.<\/p>\n

Stunned, Joe realized that he had found the outlaws his brothers and the posse were looking for.<\/p>\n

************<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s kill him!\u201d suggested one of the other outlaws, and Joe\u2019s heart constricted in fear.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Collins said, in that arrogant manner that Joe remembered so well. \u201cNo, we\u2019ll take him as a hostage. His father\u2019s worth a bit of money, don\u2019t you know, and as I recall, this one was his father\u2019s pet.\u201d\u00a0 He grinned at Joe. \u201cYou\u2019ve grown a bit since I last saw you, Joe,\u201d he went on. \u201cBut you haven\u2019t changed. Rather like Hoss. That was him with the posse, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d He didn\u2019t wait for an answer. \u201cStill a tub of lard, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLeave Hoss alone,\u201d Joe muttered. \u201cHe was good to you at school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if you think being befriended by the school elephant was him being good to me, you and I have completely different ideas about the meaning of good,\u201d Collins said, scathingly. \u201cBut then, I do speak the Queen\u2019s English, and you are an ignorant American.\u201d He nodded to another of the outlaws. \u201cGet his gun, and tie him up.\u201d<\/p>\n

It took a great effort for Joe to sit passively as his gun was lifted from his holster, and a rope was lowered over his shoulders, and tied tightly round his hands. He bit down on the inside of his lip to prevent him saying anything more. He wondered bleakly what Ben would think when he didn\u2019t return home. How he wished they hadn\u2019t had that quarrel.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d Collins ordered, and they rode off, leading Joe\u2019s horse. Joe wondered for a minute if he could take the chance of diving from Cochise and maybe running to safety, but realized that the end of the rope was securely round someone else\u2019s saddle horn.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think you killed that fat guy?\u201d asked the outlaw who had wanted to kill Joe.<\/p>\n

Snapping his head round, Joe fixed Collins with a wide-eyed apprehensive stare. Collins met Joe\u2019s gaze and laughed. After a long moment, when Joe imagined all sorts of dreadful scenarios, Collins shook his head regretfully. \u201cNo, I doubt it,\u201d he admitted and the disappointment was clear in his tone. \u201cI might have winged him, but I didn\u2019t manage to do any serious damage, and he certainly wasn\u2019t dead. A pity,\u201d he remarked, \u201cbecause it would have been another way to keep Ben Cartwright\u2019s nose out of our business.\u201d Joe couldn\u2019t hide his relief. If Hoss had been injured, he wasn\u2019t sure he could have borne it. \u201cAs it is, we\u2019ll hit the stage tomorrow. My informant said that was the last possible stage to have the bullion on board. And if by some misfortune it isn\u2019t there, then we\u2019ll sell Joe back to his father.\u201d He glanced at Joe to see how his captive was taking the news.<\/p>\n

However, Joe had guessed what Collins had in mind, and kept his face schooled to impassivity. However, he was pretty sure that he would be held to ransom, even if Collins did get the bullion that was apparently coming in on the stage. Joe wondered who could have told Collins about the bullion, for this was the first Joe had heard about it. He wondered if Roy had told his father. It seemed likely. He wondered if Roy had told Adam and Hoss.<\/p>\n

A short time later they arrived at the outlaws\u2019 hideout. It was on Ponderosa land, and Joe realized that he\u2019d been fortunate to have gone a different way to his mother\u2019s grave that morning, or he might have run into the band earlier, for they were holed up in a secluded box canyon near Lake Tahoe. As he was led into it, Joe realized that the cold rain was continuing. The ground was too hard for them to track with any accuracy and the rain would soon erase what few tracks there were. At this time of year, the herd was nearer the house, and fewer people would pass this way. Collins had learned his lessons well all those years ago.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Ben met Adam and Hoss at the door of the house. \u201cWell?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw \u2018em,\u201d Hoss muttered, \u201cbut they got away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you both all right?\u201d Ben asked. He could see they were both tired.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fine, Pa,\u201d Adam assured him. \u201cAlthough Hoss missed a bullet by not much. But we\u2019re all right.\u201d He glanced around the room as he unbuttoned his coat. \u201cWhere\u2019s Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

At the casual question, fear spiked thought Ben\u2019s gut again. He had spent the whole day convincing himself that Joe was all right and would come home soon, but as the day had given way to afternoon, and afternoon to early evening, Ben could no longer pretend to himself that Joe was coming back. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he replied, trying to mask his fear. He failed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHas he run off?\u201d Adam asked, angrily. \u201cUngrateful brat! I\u2019ll tan his hide when I get my hands on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know he\u2019s run off,\u201d Ben protested, his tone no less heated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat ain\u2019t Joe\u2019s way,\u201d Hoss agreed, his tone grim. \u201cYou know it ain\u2019t, Adam. Joe always comes back an\u2019 apologizes.\u201d He glanced at Ben. \u201cD\u2019ya reckon somethin\u2019s happened to him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid I do,\u201d Ben replied, almost inaudibly. \u201cI had hoped he had somehow sneaked round to join with you two, but I was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think he\u2019s had another fall?\u201d Adam asked, allowing his concern to show. He felt bad about thinking the worst of Joe. He knew, as well as Hoss did, that Joe wasn\u2019t the type to run off for days. He would go off for a few hours to clear his head, then come back and make his peace. The fact that Joe had been gone the whole day was worrying. Adam\u2019s burst of anger had been hiding his fear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben answered, and the strain was apparent in his voice. After the fall Joe had had in the spring, they had all been concerned lest he have another bad fall. He glanced at the door, although it was shut. \u201cAnd it\u2019s too dark to go looking for him now.\u201d He shook himself slightly. \u201cWhat coat had he on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth on \u2018em, I reckon,\u201d Hoss replied, glancing at the hat rack. \u201cIt were real cold when he left here, Pa, an\u2019 I know he likes it cold, but even he ain\u2019t that mad!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just hope that, wherever he is, he\u2019s all right,\u201d Ben said, softly. He knew it would be a long night ahead of him.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

\u201cDo we gotta feed him?\u201d asked the unpleasant outlaw as he tied Joe up. Joe winced as the rope tightened around his sore leg. He had been unable to hide his limp as he was taken from his horse, and Collins had found the whole thing hilarious.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease yourself,\u201d Collins replied. \u201cI don\u2019t care if you feed him or not.\u201d He gave Joe a kick. Joe twisted so it landed on his thigh. \u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019ll starve through missing one meal.\u201d He gave Joe a hard look. \u201cYou\u2019re not built like your brother Hoss, are you, Joe? Hoss could be starved for weeks before you would notice any reduction in weight. Does that little Chink still cook extra food just to feed him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLeave Hoss alone!\u201d Joe cried, passionately. \u201cHoss was good to you, Collins!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you do have some of the Cartwright spirit,\u201d Collins remarked. \u201cI was beginning to think it had passed you by, just like the family height has.\u201d He crouched by Joe, looking into his face intently. \u201cWhy weren\u2019t you with the posse today, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Silently, Joe gazed back. He wasn\u2019t going to tell Collins anything. He could feel sweat beading on his upper lip as their gazes continued to hold. He wouldn\u2019t give Collins the satisfaction of looking away first. Above all, he didn\u2019t want to drop his gaze to the leg which was currently giving him so much pain.<\/p>\n

So the sudden bunching of Collins\u2019 fist as it crashed into his head came as a nasty surprise. Joe was knocked sideways by the force of the blow. He barely had time to catch his breath before Collins was on him again, and Joe could do nothing but try to protect himself as well as he could. By the time Collins stood up, Joe was unconscious, blood streaming down his face, and his right arm dangling uselessly in the ropes that bound him. \u201cYou won\u2019t defy me again in a hurry,\u201d Collins said, and straightening, turned to look at his men. None of them met his eyes, as they all knew his temper too well.<\/p>\n

When Hoss had befriended the English boy on his arrival at Virginia City school, the Cartwrights had all been charmed by his manners. The boy\u2019s father had been determined to leave his title behind, but young Robert was determined to hang onto it. He had a dreadful temper, but Hoss seemed to understand that the boy found things very strange and different from what he had been used to, and didn\u2019t take offence.<\/p>\n

However, Robert was a nasty child even then. On Joe\u2019s first day at school, he had accidentally on purpose tripped the young boy so he had a bad fall. Thereafter, Joe became his favorite target, and before long, he was openly bullying the boy, only stopping when Hoss was around. Unfortunately for Joe, Hoss had contracted a virus that laid him out flat for several months, and Joe, the smallest boy in the school, had to endure months of harrowing abuse that the teacher seemed not to notice.<\/p>\n

It only ended with Hoss\u2019 return. At once, he realized what was going on, and pounded Robert until the boy had admitted his fault. Robert\u2019s father had been summoned, and eventually Robert was removed from the school. Almost a year later, the family had moved away.<\/p>\n

When Lord Robert Collins had become wanted, the Cartwrights had commented on the name, but thought no more about it. It was only when Roy Coffee told them it was the same person that they began to follow his exploits, horrified that the child they had known had become such a bad person. Hoss was embarrassed that Collins had been a friend of his; Joe wasn\u2019t in the least surprised. He had known that Collins would come to a bad end.<\/p>\n

As he slowly roused, aching all over, Joe could only fear for his future. A few months before, he had found a new depth to his faith in God, and a peace that he could deal with whatever came his way. Joe believed that his life was mapped out in front of him, and he wasn\u2019t afraid to die, if that was what was decreed for him. Joe was afraid that his family would blame themselves for something that was nobody\u2019s fault, but came about as a direct consequence of his childish temper the evening before. Joe wished that he had been able to say sorry to them all once more before he died.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

The night was cold and wet and Joe was about as far from the fire as he could be. His only consolation was that he had had the sense to put on his big coat that morning, and not just his little green jacket, as he so often did. That didn\u2019t prevent him becoming very cold and his bruises stiffened painfully. Unable to sleep for more than short periods, due to the painful cramps in his limbs, Joe could feel his bad leg becoming sorer and sorer. Come morning, he thought he would be lucky to be able to walk at all.<\/p>\n

By dawn, the rain had changed to sleet. Joe was relieved to find he was still shivering helplessly, as that meant he hadn\u2019t succumbed to hypothermia yet. But he was desperately cold and his bound hands were decidedly blue. However, he could still feel his fingers and they did twitch, even on his broken right arm.<\/p>\n

The smell of food from the fire made Joe\u2019s stomach rumble loudly. He kept a wary eye on Collins, who seemed to be watching Joe all the time. Finally, he came across and offered Joe some coffee. Joe took the cup, but found that drinking was a painful experience. \u201cThank you,\u201d he said, grudgingly, as he dropped the empty cup. His right arm was a blaze of misery from lifting the cup to his mouth, but Collins had seemed to enjoy it.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo tell me, Cartwright, did you go to a fancy college like your brother Adam?\u201d He laughed. \u201cI don\u2019t need to ask about Hoss, do I? Your brother was so thick he could barely manage to read and write.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss is a better man than you\u2019ll ever be,\u201d Joe cried, rashly. \u201cBook learning isn\u2019t the only measure of manhood, you know!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou really are stupid, aren\u2019t you?\u201d Collins snarled, grabbing Joe by the collar and hauling him to his feet. Joe vaguely noticed that he was taller than Collins. \u201cDidn\u2019t you learn anything from last night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned that you haven\u2019t changed,\u201d Joe panted, thinking he might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. \u201cYou\u2019re still a nasty piece of work, and you\u2019re not fit to lick Hoss\u2019 boots!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh really?\u201d Collins said, and deliberately grabbed Joe\u2019s broken arm and wrenched it upwards. Joe couldn\u2019t hold back a cry of pain, but he glared belligerently at Collins.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, really!\u201d he panted. \u201cYou\u2019re nothing!\u201d<\/p>\n

With a snarl, Collins threw Joe to the ground, where he landed hard on his bad arm. For a moment, the world threatened to go black, then a boot connected firmly with his ribs and brought him back to consciousness.<\/p>\n

This beating was as comprehensive as the one the previous evening had been. By the end of it, Joe\u2019s eyes were swelling closed, and he thought his nose might be broken. His breath came in painful gasps and there was barely one inch of his body that had not been touched one way or another. The darkness beckoned to Joe, and he fell into its welcoming arms with relief.<\/p>\n

************<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got time to go out and look for Joe before we have to meet Roy,\u201d Adam said. \u201cBesides, this is more important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t trying to dissuade you,\u201d Ben pointed out as he buttoned his coat.\u00a0 He wondered if he ought to tell his sons why it was so important that they help Roy, but decided that if Roy hadn\u2019t mentioned it to them, he had no right to.<\/p>\n

Together, they rode in the most direct route to the graveyard, but there was no sign of Joe there. The sleet had stopped, but the ground was wet and there were no tracks to be seen. They cast around for some time, but found no trace of Joe. Finally, Adam took out his watch and looked at the time. \u201cWe\u2019d better go if we\u2019re going to help Roy,\u201d he said, reluctantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll come with you, boys,\u201d Ben muttered. \u201cI\u2019d better report Joe\u2019s disappearance to Roy. I know there isn\u2019t anything he can do\u2026\u201d Ben\u2019s voice trailed off, and nobody said anything else. They simply rode off to meet with Roy and the posse.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m real sorry ta hear about Little Joe, Ben,\u201d Roy stated. \u201cBut there ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 I can do about it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Roy,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cBut I just thought I ought to let you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding understandingly, Roy turned his attention back to the Virginia City road, where he expected the stage any minute.\u00a0 All the men were mounted, ready to go, and the horses were fidgeting from the tension of the riders. Ben drew back, so that he wasn\u2019t in their way and wondered, not for the first time, where his youngest son was.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere,\u201d a voice said, and everyone looked to where they could now see the stage approaching. There was no tell-tale cloud of dust at this time of year, which made it harder for Roy. He hoped it would make it harder for the outlaws, too.<\/p>\n

No such luck. A group of men erupted from the trees by the roadside and fired at the driver. Wisely, the man decided to pull up, and not get shot. Roy\u2019s men were moving at once.<\/p>\n

The passengers in the stage ducked for cover as a second group of armed men bore down on them, but the outlaws reacted quickly to this new threat, and turned, firing wildly at the posse. Ben\u2019s heart was in his mouth, watching his sons, terrified that something would happen to one of them.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, one of the outlaws broke away and galloped back to the trees from whence he came. Adam shot at him, but missed. A moment later, he galloped out of the other side with another man, glimpsed only briefly by the busy men. There was only one person who saw him leave \u2013 Ben. And Ben let out a great cry, for with them was Joe!<\/p>\n

Spurring his horse, Ben dived down the hillside to try and catch up with the escaping outlaws. However, he had no chance, for the remaining group, realizing that they had been abandoned, were determined to take out as many of the posse as they could. Ben was soon caught up in the battle.<\/p>\n

By the time he was able to fight his way clear, Joe and the outlaws were gone.<\/p>\n

************<\/p>\n

\u201cGet up, Cartwright,\u201d Collins ordered, slicing through the ropes that bound Joe\u2019s feet. He put his hand under Joe\u2019s arm \u2013 mercifully not the broken one \u2013 and pulled. Joe came to his feet, and fought the dizziness that overwhelmed him. He managed to stay on his feet although his pallor gave him away. \u201cGet on your horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Limping slowly over to Cochise, Joe knew there was no way he was going to be able to mount his horse alone. He hurt all over, the pain thumping at him mercilessly. It was all he could do to stay upright. Mounting his horse seemed as likely as flying to the moon, under those circumstances.<\/p>\n

Collins must have guessed, for he nodded to a couple of his men, who forcibly got Joe mounted. His head reeled horribly, and he nearly vomited, but finally things settled down. By then, his hands were bound to his saddle horn, and he had squandered his chance to escape. After berating himself for a few minutes, Joe recovered enough to realize that he hadn\u2019t had a real chance of escape. Not in the condition he was in, with half a dozen outlaws watching him closely.<\/p>\n

They rode for what seemed like a long time to Joe. The jostling of the horse caused his broken arm to throb, and he had no way to ease his suffering. He drew in deep breaths to try and keep the nausea at bay and by the time they stopped, in a grove of trees, Joe had long passed the end of his endurance.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for him, it wasn\u2019t over. Collins ordered him gagged, and one of the outlaws \u2013 the one who had wanted to kill him at the beginning \u2013 was ordered to watch over Joe. Then the others drew their bandanas over their faces and waited.<\/p>\n

About half an hour passed before they heard the stage drawing near. Joe fought his bonds to try and get free to warn them, but to no avail. He received a cuff to the head that all but knocked him from his saddle, and when his head stopped whirling, he saw that the outlaws were gone.<\/p>\n

Gunfire sounded from all around, and Joe brightened up slightly. The prospect of the posse killing or wounding Collins was high, and for a minute, Joe allowed his hopes to take flight and believe that he would be rescued very soon.<\/p>\n

Then, Collins burst through the trees and grabbed the rein of Joe\u2019s horse, and dragged the startled Cochise after him, as they fled from the scene of the hold-up. Joe clung to the saddle horn, trying desperately not to retch against the gag in his mouth, realizing that his hopes had been dashed.<\/p>\n

There was no one in pursuit of them.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

The wound wasn\u2019t serious, but it was bleeding persistently. Hoss sat back and allowed Adam and Ben to tend to his injury. Ben had yet to tell them about Joe, but for the moment, he was dealing with his injured son, and nothing could distract him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll live,\u201d Ben announced. \u201cLet\u2019s get you home.\u201d He glanced over at Roy, who had taken the outlaws \u2013 the ones that had survived the shoot-out \u2013 into custody.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up, Pa?\u201d Hoss asked. He had been watching Ben and had seen that his father was somewhat agitated, more so than his wound would merit. \u201cIs it Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cHe was with the men who escaped.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Adam gasped. \u201cJoe? Not willingly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, but I doubt it. That\u2019s not like Joe,\u201d Ben responded. He swallowed. \u201cWe\u2019d better get Hoss home, first, and get this arm seen to.\u201d Ben was torn. He wanted nothing more than to race after Joe and bring him home, but he also felt the need to be with Hoss, now that he was hurt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going after them!\u201d Adam declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot alone!\u201d Ben cried and Adam could see the fear in his father\u2019s face. The fear that something would happen to him, too and Ben didn\u2019t know how he would cope with that.<\/p>\n

Before Adam could say anything further, Roy came across. \u201cAdam, I need your help gettin\u2019 these men back to town,\u201d he said. He glanced at Hoss. \u201cAre you all right, boy?\u201d he asked, in his kindly manner.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be all right, Roy,\u201d Hoss responded, gruffly. He went pink.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d better take him home, Roy,\u201d Ben suggested, anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do that, Ben,\u201d agreed Roy.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, the men that rode away had Joe with them,\u201d Ben said, softly.<\/p>\n

At once, the sheriff fixed Ben with a sharp look. \u201cYou figger he\u2019s their pris\u2019ner?\u201d he asked, putting Ben\u2019s fears into words.<\/p>\n

For a moment, Ben was silent, as though putting his fears into words would make them so. But finally, he nodded. \u201cJoe wouldn\u2019t be a part of this kind of thing, Roy,\u201d he protested angrily, as though Roy had accused Joe of some wrong doing. \u201cYou know that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Course, I do, Ben,\u201d Roy defended himself. \u201cI only asked if you thought the boy was their pris\u2019ner. I know Joe wouldn\u2019t do a thing like this.\u201d He glanced around at his prisoners. \u201cSoon as I git this lot back to town, I\u2019ll muster another posse an\u2019 look fer Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat might not be wise,\u201d Adam interjected and Ben swung round to look at him as though he had grown horns.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d he spluttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cCollins isn\u2019t among this lot we\u2019ve caught, Pa. And we both know what he\u2019s like. If he thinks there\u2019s a posse out looking for Joe, he might kill him. We\u2019ve got to try and find Joe ourselves.\u201d Adam\u2019s cool dark gaze met his father\u2019s angry one steadily. He knew he was right. And after a moment, Ben conceded he was right, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course. Thanks, Roy, but we\u2019ll look for Joe ourselves.\u201d Ben nodded to Adam. \u201cHurry home, son,\u201d he muttered, and went to help Hoss onto his horse.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

By the time the horses stopped, Joe was semi-conscious and staying in the saddle by sheer stubbornness. The only part of his mind that was functioning was solely engaged in keeping him riding. When his hands were untied, he fell into the arms of the person standing there, uncaring of who it was. The movement was the final straw for his abused body and he tumbled into unconsciousness.<\/p>\n

He had no idea how long had passed before he roused, and he surfaced slowly, aware only of cold and pain. He forced his eyes to open, and saw that he had been thrown down in a cave. His limbs were tied once more, but he doubted if he could have moved enough to escape even if he hadn\u2019t been tied up. His body was horribly stiff and each tiny movement cost him dearly.<\/p>\n

A small, smokeless fire burned near the entrance to the cave. The horses stood at the back. Joe frowned. The place seemed familiar, somehow, although his mind was too befuddled by the pain to work out why. Collins and the other outlaw crouched by the fire, cradling steaming cups. The scent of the coffee reached Joe and he felt a raging thirst well up. He was still gagged, though and so couldn\u2019t ask for a drink, even supposing his pride had allowed him to.<\/p>\n

Closing his eyes, Joe slipped into an exhausted sleep.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

When Adam returned from town, he brought Paul Martin with him. Hoss protested mightily that he didn\u2019t need a doctor. The bullet had gone straight through his arm and the wound was nice and clean. Paul smiled and listened to this recitation while taking off the bandage Ben had put on and checking the wound out for himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Ben, Hoss here is right. It must be a great comfort for you to have your own doctor right here in the house.\u201d Paul grinned at his old friend, seeing the care weighing heavily on his shoulders, and trying to make him smile, if just for a moment. He succeeded as a brief smile lightened Ben\u2019s features.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam told me what happened,\u201d Paul went on, sorry to have to kill Ben\u2019s smile. \u201cHoss, you aren\u2019t fit to be going looking for Joe. Not tonight, anyway.\u201d He glanced at the others. \u201cAfter what you\u2019ve been through, I don\u2019t think any of you should go tonight. Besides,\u201d he added the clincher. \u201cIt\u2019s getting dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was clear that Ben wanted to argue with Paul\u2019s logic, but he could see the sense in the words. Hoss, although fine, shouldn\u2019t be out in the cold after losing blood from an injury. And there was no point in trying to look for Joe in the dark. They would never see his tracks that way. But waiting was the hardest thing of all.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Having been persuaded to go to bed early, Hoss found he couldn\u2019t sleep. His arm was sore, but it was of minor moment compared to his concern for Joe. Right from day one, Hoss had set himself up as Joe\u2019s protector. Through school, he had been there for Joe, making sure he was all right, letting him fight his own fights when he had to, but always being there for him. Things hadn\u2019t changed much when Joe reached adulthood. Hoss was still there to help Joe out when he needed it. There were times when Joe resented his help, but generally, he accepted Hoss\u2019 help much more gracefully than he accepted Adam\u2019s although the same impulse prompted them both.<\/p>\n

Gradually, Hoss slid into a light doze and he dreamed of the times he had brought Robert Collins home to play. He had been taller than Robert even then, but Hoss had been taller than all his class mates. He had been flattered that this English boy, the son of a Lord had agreed to be his friend. Hoss could see that the boy found American ways very different to the ones he\u2019d been used to, and he was quite prepared to allow the boy some leeway with his temper until he found his feet.<\/p>\n

It had been a rude awakening for Hoss to discover what was going on when he got back to school after his illness. Joe had been quiet for months, and Ben was worried sick about him. Once or twice he had come home bearing bruises, but they were easily explained away by him being an active boy.<\/p>\n

But Hoss had heard the taunts that first day back, and had taken steps to see that they were never repeated. Lord Collins had been brought to the school and Robert had been removed. Hoss knew that he\u2019d made an implacable enemy that day. When they\u2019d met in the street, there had been a look of such hatred in Robert\u2019s eyes that Hoss had shivered. He had shielded Joe from it whenever possible.<\/p>\n

Jerking awake, Hoss suddenly knew that this was why he was so worried. Robert had had it in for Joe, and Hoss was afraid for Joe\u2019s life now that Robert had him in his clutches again. And in that twilight moment between sleep and wakefulness, Hoss knew exactly where Collins would be hiding out.<\/p>\n

Sitting up, he threw the covers aside, shivering in the icy air. The fire in his room had died down, because he hadn\u2019t banked it properly. Hoss grabbed for his clothes and began to dress quietly. He had slept longer than he had realized, for he could hear the clock downstairs chiming 5 am. It would be light in a couple of hours, and Hoss planned to be ready to leave the moment he could see properly.<\/p>\n

But Hoss wasn\u2019t the only one wakeful that night. Neither Ben nor Adam had slept much, and when Ben heard Hoss moving about, he began to worry over his middle son, too. Rising, Ben wrapped his robe over his nightshirt and lit a lamp.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d Ben questioned, puzzled as to why his son was dressing at this time of the morning. \u201cIts still early, son, go back to sleep.\u201d He didn\u2019t allow Hoss time to say anything, just went and stirred up the fire so the room was warmer. \u201cYou rest,\u201d he said, as he left again.<\/p>\n

Frustrated, Hoss lay back, but he didn\u2019t close his eyes, and when the clock chimed an hour later, he rose again and silently left the room. This time, he didn\u2019t disturb anyone.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate to tell you this,\u201d Adam said, coming down the stairs, \u201cbut your middle son has copied your youngest son and done a bunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Ben gasped, gazing at Adam, his coffee cup frozen on the way to his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis room is empty,\u201d Adam elucidated, but his dark eyes were already sweeping the room, and a few moments later he spotted the note Hoss had left them. Ben joined him as he read it.<\/p>\n

Dear Pa and Adam,<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve gone looking for Joe. I think I know where to find him. Please don\u2019t be cross. I think Collins has holed up in the old \u2018cathedral\u2019 cave, near the Carson City road. It always was his favorite place on the ranch when we was kids. I must help Joe.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoss<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cGet the horses saddled,\u201d Ben ordered. \u201cWe\u2019d better go and help him.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cI should\u2019ve guessed there was something like this in the air when I caught him getting dressed about 5 this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, you know how he is about Joe,\u201d Adam commented. He was annoyed though. He wished Hoss had woken him, so they could have gone off together. Crossing to the barn, Adam\u2019s mouth twisted wryly. But would he have woken Hoss? He wasn\u2019t sure. \u201cBe careful, Hoss,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

The arrival of morning brought no cheer for Joe. He was running a slight temperature from the exposure he had suffered, and the pain from his broken arm was draining what little strength he had left. Collins came over and looked at him for a minute, and whatever he saw seemed to satisfy him. Joe didn\u2019t know that he looked dreadful \u2013 both eyes were black and the left one only opened partially; he was very pale and his eyes were glazed from exhaustion and pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d better think what ransom we want for Cartwright before he dies on us,\u201d Collins said to his companion. \u201cWhat do you think, Jim?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much d\u2019ya think the old man\u2019s worth?\u201d Jim responded. \u201c$5000?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than that, surely,\u201d Collins answered. \u201cI\u2019d have thought $10,000, or more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt still ain\u2019t gonna be as much as that bullion though, is it?\u201d Jim demanded, in a disgruntled tone. \u201cThere was to have been $50,000 in that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, beggars can\u2019t be choosers,\u201d snapped Collins. \u201cAt least this isn\u2019t going to be a total failure, if we get money for Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn\u2019 what if he does die?\u201d Jim asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t matter,\u201d Collins assured him airily. \u201cWe\u2019ll just return the body. I won\u2019t promise to give him back alive!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I like about you,\u201d Jim responded, with a wolfish grin. \u201cYou\u2019re as ruthless as me.\u201d Collins grinned back.<\/p>\n

Listening to this, Joe was horrified. He knew he wasn\u2019t well, but he had to get out of there somehow. He had no idea where they were, although the cave did look familiar, but if he could only get outside, he would know instantly where he was, and would be able to get home. Despite being bound hand and foot, Joe began to slide across the hard-packed dirt floor.<\/p>\n

But it was an effort, and Joe didn\u2019t realize that he was grunting from behind the gag, and Collins turned at once. \u201cGoing somewhere, Cartwright?\u201d he asked, rising to his feet and looming over his captive.<\/p>\n

Wordlessly, Joe just gazed at him. He tried to brace himself for what he knew was coming, but his body was too badly injured. Collins kicked him hard in the ribs. Joe fell to his side, trying to protect himself as best he could. Collins\u2019 boot struck him on the back and kidneys, all down his thighs and finally on the broken arm. Joe screamed into the gag and the world wavered around him.<\/p>\n

A shot brought Joe to partial consciousness, but he couldn\u2019t make sense of the sounds and movement all around him, for the pain was the worst he\u2019d ever encountered, and took his breath away. His head swam and his stomach rebelled, and it was some time later that he came back to full consciousness and found that he was free, and cradled in Hoss\u2019 loving arms. Collins and Jim both lay unmoving by the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, are ya all right?\u201d Hoss asked, anxiously, and Joe had the impression that his brother had asked this more than once. He couldn\u2019t answer. \u201cYer safe now, punkin,\u201d Hoss went on. \u201cI\u2019m here, an\u2019 everythin\u2019s gonna be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

A shudder ran through Joe as his body relaxed. \u201cWater,\u201d he whispered, and Hoss laid him gently down while he retrieved a canteen. He gently gathered Joe up, and tilted the canteen to his lips. Joe drank eagerly.<\/p>\n

Bundling Joe carefully in a couple of bedrolls, Hoss began to make preparations to bring Joe home. It was obvious that he wouldn\u2019t be able to ride a horse, so Hoss intended to make a travois, however, a short time later, he heard a wagon approaching and went out to see.<\/p>\n

It was Ben and Adam. Ben, after a moment\u2019s relief to see Hoss alive and well, was furiously angry. He jumped from the wagon to take his son in his arms. \u201cDon\u2019t ever do that again!\u201d he scolded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Hoss mumbled, hanging his head. \u201cBut I jist couldn\u2019 leave Joe out here with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Joe?\u201d Ben began, then fear froze his tongue.<\/p>\n

\u201cInside; he\u2019s in a pretty bad way, Pa,\u201d Hoss apologized, as though it was his fault. Ben patted Hoss\u2019 arm and pushed past him into the cave.<\/p>\n

Cathedral cave had been so named because of the size of it. It was huge and echoey and Adam and Hoss had loved playing there when they were younger. \u00a0Joe hadn\u2019t been as keen on it. There was an air of serenity in the huge space, which had reminded Ben of the cool shadowy cathedrals of the East.<\/p>\n

Now, he didn\u2019t notice any of that; he was intent only on reaching his youngest son. Despite Hoss\u2019 warning, he wasn\u2019t prepared for the sight of Joe, and had to work very hard to keep the horror off his face. Behind him, he heard Adam\u2019s ragged gasp.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d he whispered, kneeling by his son and stroking his head gently. \u201cJoe, can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

The ghost of a smile flickered across Joe\u2019s battered face and was gone. \u201cHi, Pa,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll get you home, son, don\u2019t worry,\u201d Ben soothed. He glanced around, to where Adam was now looking at the bodies of the outlaws, and frowning. \u201cAdam? \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re both dead,\u201d Adam replied, still frowning.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp me get Joe into the wagon,\u201d Ben ordered, dismissing the outlaws from his mind. He had no idea what was troubling Adam, but he didn\u2019t have time to worry about it. Joe needed medical attention \u2013 and soon!<\/p>\n

Despite their care, Joe let out a cry of pain as they lifted him, and they both stiffened. \u201cWe can\u2019t stop, Pa,\u201d Adam panted, trying to hide his own distress at Joe\u2019s condition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Ben gasped, and they eased their way out of the cave, and soon had Joe settled. Ben stayed with him, while Adam went back to help Hoss load the dead outlaws onto their horses. \u201cYou\u2019ll soon be home, Joe,\u201d Ben soothed.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Joe whispered. \u201cSorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHush, don\u2019t try to talk,\u201d Ben told him. \u201cYou\u2019ve nothing to be sorry for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry\u2026for\u2026my\u2026temper,\u201d Joe persisted, although his eyes were closed. \u201cAll\u2026 my\u2026fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo more talk,\u201d Ben ordered, sternly. \u201cWe can talk about this when you\u2019re better. Just sleep, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The injured youth gave a big sigh and winced. But he didn\u2019t try to talk any more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

Adam rode for the doctor, as Hoss brought the outlaws back to the ranch. They left the dead men slung over the horses for the sheriff to take back to town, and Hoss helped Ben get Joe inside. Despite their care, Joe passed out as Ben tried to remove his filthy clothes, which made it easier for Ben, as he was able to complete his task before his son roused.<\/p>\n

He took the bowl of warm water from Hop Sing and began to wash the dirt from Joe\u2019s face. The soothing rhythm soon brought Joe around. He gazed wordlessly at his father, then tears filled his eyes. \u201cPa,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

Dropping the cloth, Ben took Joe\u2019s hand in his. Joe\u2019s body was covered in bruises and he could feel the tremors running through his son. \u201cYou\u2019re at home, safe,\u201d Ben told him, gently. \u201cCollins is dead. Adam will be here soon with the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

That seemed to soothe Joe and he closed his eyes again. Ben, still holding his hand, resumed his washing. When Paul Martin arrived, Joe was in a light sleep, but he roused at the sound of the footsteps.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take Paul long to make his diagnosis. \u201cBroke arm, broken ribs, and multiple abrasions and contusions,\u201d he told the family. \u201cHe\u2019s going to be sore for some time to come.\u201d Joe was asleep, knocked out by the painkilling injection Paul had given him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen can I talk to him?\u201d Roy Coffee asked. He had arrived shortly after Paul and had examined the bodies.<\/p>\n

\u201cLater,\u201d Paul advised. \u201cHe\u2019ll be asleep for some time. This afternoon, maybe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grunting in disappointment, but not surprised, Roy nodded. \u201cHoss, I\u2019ll talk to you then, too. Don\u2019t go discussin\u2019 this with anyone in the meantime.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir,\u201d Hoss mumbled.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

That afternoon, Roy came back out to the ranch, and took Hoss upstairs with him, so he could question Joe and Hoss together. Reluctantly, he allowed Ben and Adam to come too.\u00a0 Paul had warmed Roy to go gently with Joe, and Ben was determined to see that he did. Not that he didn\u2019t trust Roy, but his need for facts as a lawman sometimes over-rode his compassion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, Joe?\u201d Roy asked, and Joe told his story in a low voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was angry because Pa said I couldn\u2019t go on the posse,\u201d he began. \u201cI got up early next morning and went down to the grave. I fell asleep there, and when I woke, it was getting late, and I knew Pa would be worried.\u201d He shot an apologetic glance at Ben, who nodded. \u201cAs I rode home, I literally rode into the outlaws. It was Lord Robert Collins,\u201d he added, as though they might not have known this.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know,\u201d Ben soothed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey took me prisoner, so they could hold me to ransom if the bullion robbery went wrong,\u201d he went on, and both Adam and Hoss looked surprised. They had still not known why the stage was being held up. \u201cCollins beat me up that first night, and a couple of times after that.\u201d He closed his eyes briefly to suppress the memories, and felt Ben\u2019s warm hand on his arm. He opened his eyes and managed a smile at Ben, although it was very shaky. \u201cThey took me with them when they went to hold up the stage,\u201d he added. \u201cWhen the posse came, Collins and Jim escaped and took me with them. He said it wouldn\u2019t matter if I died, as long as Pa paid up the money. He said he wouldn\u2019t promise to hand me back alive.\u201d Sighing Joe added the last bit. \u201cI passed out after he beat me up. When I came round, Hoss was there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere were the outlaws?\u201d Roy asked, as Joe seemed disinclined to add any more.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cI didn\u2019t notice. I didn\u2019t feel too good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d Roy questioned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI snuck out afore Pa an\u2019 Adam was awake,\u201d Hoss began. \u201cI done left them a note, so\u2019s they\u2019d know where to find me. I knew Collins liked the cathedral cave when we was kids, an\u2019 I reckoned he mighta gone there to hide out. When I got there, I could see they was there, an\u2019 I went up real quiet like. But that other feller was watchin\u2019 an\u2019 I had ta shoot him, cos he was firin\u2019 at me.\u201d Hoss wasn\u2019t meeting anyone\u2019s eyes and Ben was feeling increasingly uncomfortable about the whole thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on,\u201d Roy encouraged.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I went in, Collins was standin\u2019 over Joe, and Joe was bleedin\u2019. I thought he was dead. Collins an\u2019 I fought, and I knocked him out. When Adam went to check on him, he were dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did he die?\u201d Roy asked. \u201cDid he hit his head? What?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno,\u201d Hoss mumbled. \u201cI didn\u2019 look at \u2018em after I found Joe. He needed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy frowned at Hoss, who shrugged miserably. Ben and Adam were both frowning. Joe was looking at\u00a0\u00a0 them all without understanding. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked, his voice thin and tired. \u201cHoss wouldn\u2019t have killed Collins, you all know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon we do know that, Joe,\u201d Roy returned while Hoss mumbled something none of them caught. \u201cI jist don\u2019t like open ends, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say no more, Roy,\u201d Hoss offered, and Roy gave him a searching look before nodding abruptly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Hoss,\u201d he capitulated. \u201cI\u2019ll get back to town an\u2019 write ma report. You\u2019ll likely git reward money. He was wanted all over the place.\u201d He rose, and Ben went to see him out.<\/p>\n

When he came back, his sons were still in Joe\u2019s room. \u201cWhat did happen, Hoss?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, sir,\u201d Hoss answered. \u201cLike I tol\u2019 Roy, I was tendin\u2019 to Little Joe, an\u2019 didn\u2019 notice.\u201d Hoss\u2019 guileless blue eyes met Ben\u2019s brown ones, and locked, and Ben was disquieted to discover that he wasn\u2019t sure that Hoss was telling the truth. But he had no way to find out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe you, son,\u201d he responded, for what else could he say? He glanced at Joe, who was watching Hoss with a troubled frown. \u201cI think this young man is tired, so I suggest we leave him to get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam ran his knuckles gently down Joe\u2019s cheek. \u201cSleep well,\u201d he offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cG\u2019night, punkin,\u201d Hoss mumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d Joe said, putting his hand up to snag his brother\u2019s sleeve. \u201cThanks. I didn\u2019t get the chance to say it before, but thanks for rescuing me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, shucks, there ain\u2019t no need fer that,\u201d Hoss denied, blushing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is,\u201d Joe persisted, and looked at them all. \u201cAnd I need to apologies for my temper. What happened to me was my own fault. If I hadn\u2019t stormed off in a temper, then none of this would have happened. You were quite right, Pa. I was just too stubborn to admit it. Riding around in the cold all day didn\u2019t do me any favors.\u201d He dropped his eyes. \u201cAll this happened as the direct consequence of my childish behavior, and I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIts all forgotten,\u201d Ben assured him. He ushered his oldest two sons out, and went back to Joe\u2019s side. \u201cI\u2019m sorry that you had to learn a lesson this way, Joe, but perhaps next time you\u2019ll listen to what I tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure; I\u2019m sorry,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cI knew I wasn\u2019t up to the ride, but my pride wouldn\u2019t let me admit it, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIts over,\u201d Ben repeated, and smiled at Joe. He tucked him securely in, and sat briefly on the edge of the bed to stroke Joe\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe ventured, hesitantly. \u201cDo you think Hoss did kill Collins?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a long pause. Ben\u2019s hand never stopped its rhythmic stroking. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he admitted finally. \u201cAnd this has to go no further than us, Joe. I doubt if Hoss intended to kill him. It might just be that he hit him too hard. It might be that he had another injury that none of us noticed. No, Joe, I don\u2019t think Hoss killed Collins. But one thing I do know \u2013 he saved you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, sir,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cAnd I\u2019m more grateful than I can say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get some sleep now,\u201d Ben suggested, seeing that Joe was tired. \u201cGood night, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cG\u2019night, Pa,\u201d Joe replied, and closed his eyes. Ben dropped a kiss onto his head, and left.<\/p>\n

Outside, the room, Ben stood for a moment. Like Joe, he wondered if Hoss had killed Collins. For the first time ever, he didn\u2019t know the answer for sure, and he somehow sensed he would never know.<\/p>\n

Lying in bed, Joe\u2019s eyes were open again as he thought of what his brother had done for him. Joe didn\u2019t know if Hoss had killed Collins, and he didn\u2019t care. As long as Hoss was all right, that was all that mattered to Joe.<\/p>\n

In the great room, Adam was reading, while Hoss pestered Hop Sing to find out what there was for supper, which was due in about an hour. When Ben came downstairs, Adam raised his head, and their glances locked for a long moment.<\/p>\n

None of them would ever be sure if Hoss had killed Collins.<\/p>\n

*****End*****<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 Set five months after \u2018Alone\u2019, Joe quarrels with his family, then falls foul of some outlaws. It isn\u2019t necessary to have read \u2018Alone\u2019 before reading this one.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 T \u00a0 \u00a0 (9,930 words)<\/p>\n

Alone Series, links to all the stories within the series are included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":28366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,1092,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hoss-joe","category-hurtcomfort","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1092-id","wpcat-41-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2967,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Hoss-and-Joe-3.jpg?fit=259%2C194&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7307,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7307","url_meta":{"origin":5331,"position":0},"title":"Home Alone (by Sibylle)","author":"Sibylle","date":"May 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0\u00a0Hoss and Joe\u00a0alone at home. A prequel \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K \u00a0 WC 600","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1008"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Joe-Hoss.jpg?fit=505%2C638&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7569,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7569","url_meta":{"origin":5331,"position":1},"title":"The Company You Keep (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"May 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Sheriff Coffee has a lesson to teach Ben Cartwright\u2019s son. Rated:\u00a0K+\u00a0 Word count:\u00a01320","rel":"","context":"In "Adam Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Adam Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1005"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/roy.jpg?fit=612%2C663&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/roy.jpg?fit=612%2C663&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/roy.jpg?fit=612%2C663&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6325,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6325","url_meta":{"origin":5331,"position":2},"title":"Best Laid Plans (by Cheaux)","author":"Cheaux","date":"May 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0A rift between father and sons is healed in an unexpected way. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0 T -- WC \u00a0650","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza16.jpg?fit=334%2C425&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2072,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2072","url_meta":{"origin":5331,"position":3},"title":"Learning a Lesson (by JoanS)","author":"JoanS","date":"September 6, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Ben is determined to teach Joe a lesson when he gets into trouble in town, but will the youngest Cartwright survive his punishment? Rated: K (14,690 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13838,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13838","url_meta":{"origin":5331,"position":4},"title":"Betrayal (by HelenB)","author":"HelenB","date":"December 27, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Joe feels responsible for the death of a friend and with Christmas not far away, it doesn't look like it will be a happy one. Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (16,265 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/LJshadow1.jpg?fit=720%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/LJshadow1.jpg?fit=720%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/LJshadow1.jpg?fit=720%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/LJshadow1.jpg?fit=720%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28304,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=28304","url_meta":{"origin":5331,"position":5},"title":"Studio Executives #8 — A Sharp Idea (by pjb)","author":"pjb","date":"April 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: The Cartwrights try to come up with an episode that will cheer up their fans. WC: 2,450; Rating: PG Studio Executives Series, links to all stories are included within.","rel":"","context":"In "Alternate Universe"","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Cartwrights-and-execs.png?fit=480%2C386&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5331"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5331\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}